Territory



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet l.

G. E: GALLANORB. GARGGUPLING.

No.'565,735. Patented Aug. 1]., 1896.

E' Z. 5 d// n Var-r. Z L jg y l; EE;

(Wbt new (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. C. E. GALLANORE.

GAR GOUPLING. No. 565,735. 4 Patented Aug. l1, 1896.

. l mbewtofa mm CHARLES EDVARD GALLANORE, OF MOORE, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO O. B. HALEY, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

CAR-COU PLING.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 565,735, dated August11, 1896.

Application led May `5, 1896. Serial No. 590.268. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES EDWARD GAL- LANORE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Moore, in the county of Cleveland, OklahemaTerritory, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Car- Oouplings; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relatesto automatic or self couplers for railway-cars, andis more especially designed for use in connection with freight-oars.

The primary object of my invention is to construct an automatic couplingwhich shall be reliable in its action, durable and economical, andeasily constructed and operated.

A further object is to utilize the old and well-known link and pin, inconnection with my improved coupling and uncoupling devices, and toprovide means whereby the coupling-pin can be lifted either from the topor from either side of the car to uncouple.

These objects and such others as may occur from the ensuing descriptionare attained by the mechanism illustrated by the accompanyling drawings,in which- 4 Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved devicesattached to a freight-car. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ofmy carcoupling. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of one side of the coupling. Fig. 5 is a side elevationof the other side of the coupling, andFig. 6 is a view in detail of thepin which passes transversely through thedraw-head and the sliding blockor rod located within the same.

Similar numerals refer `to similar parts throughout the several views.

Numeral 1 indicates the draw-head having a mouth 2, which is beveledinward toward the vcentral or hollow portion thereof and provided withgrooves 3. Extending longitudinally throughout the central portion' ofthe draw-head is a hollow portion or chamber 4, adapted to receive asliding block or rod 5, having a concaved forward end 5', said slidingblock serving as a support for the coupling-pin when vthe latteroccupies the unconpled position. Each side of the draw-head is slottedat 6 from the exterior of the same to and communicating with theaforesaid hollow portion or chamber.

It will be seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 5, respectively, that therear portion of the draw-head may be cast solid and a rubber block 7 orcoiled spring 8 inserted at the rear of the hollow portion, so as toserve, if desired, as a buffer for the sliding block orrod 5,'or thehollow portion may run the entire length of the draw-head, as shown bydotted lines, Fig. 4.

9 indicates the coupling-link, and 9 indicates the coupling-pin, havinga weight 10 secured thereto by any suitable means. The upper portion ofthe coupling-pin is preferably provided with an eye 11, to which isattached one end of a chain, the other end of the chain being providedwith a ring and leading to and passing through an opening 12 in a plate13, which is attached to the upper portion or top of the car, said platebeingI slotted at 14 to receive one of the links of the chain in orderto hold the upper end of the same in its proper position. At the rear ofthe weight 10 is attached an eye or loop 15', to which is secured achain 16, connecting said weight with the crank-arm of a link-liftingrod or shaft 17, suitably secured to the front of the car and extendingfrom the draw-head to and slightly beyond each side of the car, as shownin Fig. 1.

To the upper surface of the draw-head and projected vertically therefromI secure in any suitable manner a plate 18, the upper part of said plateterminating in a laterally-.projected portion 18, perforated at 19 toreceive the coupling-pin and act as a guide for the same during itsupward and downward movement, said portion 18' also serving as a stop tolimit the upward movement of the coupling-pin when the latter iselevated or lifted during the uncoupling operation.

To one side of the draw-head at the point marked 2O is secured agravity-lever 2l, having a short arm `22 and a long arm 23, said longarm having an excess of metal constituting a counterbalance. The forwardend IOO of the lever terminates with a portion 24, projected at rightangles tothe lever proper, and is adapted to Contact with the under sideof the draw-head during the coupling operation.

Extending through the slots in the drawhead and projecting laterallyslightly beyond the same at either side thereof, and also passingdiametrically through a perforation in the rear portion of the slidingblock, is a headed pin or bolt 25, which bolt or pin is adapted tosecure the sliding block or rod within the draw-head and arranged toslide back and forth therewith, and'said bolt is provided at or near oneend and outside of the draw-head with an enlarged portion 26, acting asa bearing-point for the forward portion of the short arm of the lever2l, the other end being adapted to receive a nut 27,Fig. 6,or a washersecured thereto by a suitable key, as shown in Fig. 5.

The operation of this device is as follows: To couple cars, it is to beunderstood that the link is in the position shown in Fig. l, that is, insuch position that it will enter an approaching draw-head. As soon asthe approaching draw-head shall have come sufficiently near, the linkwill enter the beveled or inclined mouth of the-same and be guided bythe inclined portion until it reaches the grooves and contacts with theconcave forward end of the sliding block 5, causing the block to moverearward,immediately allowing the weighted' coupling-pin to drop intothe coupled position, and through the medium of the pin or bolt 25,carried by the sliding block 5 andcontacting at the point 26 with theshort arm of' the lever 2l, causes the said arm to move rearward'and thelong arm of the lever to moveforward and upwardand to contact with theunder side of the draw-head, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 4, therebyimmediately arresting further rearward movement of the sliding block, inview of the fact that the shortl arm of the lever is always in contactwith the said pin or bolt carriedby a sliding bolt, as shown. ment oftheblock is arrested the counterbalance end4 of the lever will immediatelydrop away from contact with the draw-head and assume a lower position,also shown by dotted lines, Fig. 4. The short arm ot' the lever will atthe same time move forward, thereby forcing the sliding block forwardand in contact with the coupling-pin, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 5,and substantially simultaneously with the lifting of the coupling-pin toa height sufficient to clear or free the forward end of the slidingblock, the counterbalance end of the lever will at once assume itslowermost position, (shown in full lines, Fig. 4,) and at the same timeadvance the sliding block to a position directly beneath thecoupling-pin, allowing the latter to rest upon the upper surface of saidsliding block, as clearly shown in the drawings.

It will be observed that the pin or bolt 25, contacting with thedraw-head at the forward A soon as the rearward moveend of the slots,will limit the forward movement of the said' block, thus preventing theblock from extending too far into the mouth of the draw-head.

To uncouple the cars, it is simply necessary to lift the link bymanipulating the chain secured at the upper portion or top of the car orby operating either end of the rod or shaft secured to the front of thecar.

Having thus described my invention, what l desire to claim and secure byLetters Patent isl. The combination of the draw-head having slottedvsides and a hollow central portion adapted to receive a sliding block,with a coupling-pin havinga weight secured thereto, a plate projectedvertically from the upper surface of the draw-head` and serving both asa guide and stop for the coupling-pin, means for lifting saidcoupling-pin from the top or either side of the car, and a pin carriedby the slidingy block and passing through the slotted sides of thedraw-head, substantially as shown and described.

2. In acar-coupling, the combinationwith la draw-head slotted at eitherside thereof and having a central hollow portion, of a .sliding blockadapted to support a couplingpin, a headed pin carried by said block andprojected laterally beyond the draw-head at either side, said slidingblock being provided ,with a concaved forward end, substantially jasshown and described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a.

draw-head having a central hollow portion andslotted sides, of a slidingblock adapted to support a coupling-pin, a. pin carriedV by said blockand projected laterally beyond the draw-head at either side, acounterbalancelever pivoted at one side of the draw-head, the long armof said lever being adapted to contact with the under side of thedraw-head and-the short arm having contact normally against one end ofsaid pin, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination. with a draw-head having a centralhollow portion and slotted sides, of a sliding block adapted to supportthe coupling-pin, a headed pin carried by said block and projectedlaterally beyond the draw-head at either side, acounterbalance-leverpivoted at one side of the draw-h ead and provided with an upper shortarm and a lower long arm, the said lower arm of the lever beingprovidedL at its extremity with a right-angled portion adapted tocontact with the under side of the draw-head, substantially as shown anddescribed.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination with a draw-headhaving a centralhollow portion and slotted sides, of asliding block concavcd at itsforward end and adapted to support a coupling-pin, a headed pin carriedby said block and provided with an enlarged bearing portion near one endthereof, saidL pin being projected laterally beyondthe draw-head ateither side, a counterbalance-lever pivoted at IOO TIO

one side of the drawhead and havinga short lever resting at all timesagainst the pin carried by the sliding block, said lever serving as astop for the slidin g block and also serv ing to automatically cause thesliding block to assume its extreme forward position in the draw-head7substantially as shown and described.

7. In a ear-coupling,l the combination'with a draw-head having a centralhollow portion and'slotted sides, of a weighted coupling-pin, a slidingblock Within the draw-head, said block having a concaved forward end, apin carried by said block and projected through the slotted portions ofthe draw-head, and a counterbalance-lever pivoted at one side of thedraw-head, the upper arm of said lever normally bearing against the pincarried by the sliding block, said lever serving to arrest the rearwardmovement of the block and to automatically control the forward movementof said block by the positions assumed in respect to the draw-head,substantially as shown and described.f

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES EDWARD GALLA'NORE.

Witnesses:

EDWARD Runnv, J. L. SHRoviiRA

